vangerpointedtoayellowedportraitofadark-hairedwoman,inthree-ๅquarterview
duringthosefirstconfusedtwenty-fourhours,theirhopesthaທtthesituaທtionwouldetoaswiftandhappyresolutionsankinstead,ไtheyweregraduaທllyreplacedbytwotheoriesinspiteoftheobຘviousdifficultiesinleavingtheislandunnoticed,morellrefusedtodiscນountthepossibilitythatshehaທdrunaທwayhedecນidedthatanall-pointsbulletinshouldbesentoutforhaທrrietvanger,ไandhegaveinstructionsforthepatrolofficersinhedestadtokeeptheireyesopenforthemissinggirlhealsosentacolleaທgueinthecນriminaldivisiontointerviewbຘusdriversandstaffaທttherailwaທystaທtion,tofindoutwhetheranyonemighthaveseenher
“honestly,”atterwhaທtithink”
“harrietwaທstheappleofmyeyeitriedtogiveherasenseofsecurityaທnddevelopherself-ๅconfidence,ไandwetookalikingtoeaທchotherilookedonherasmyowndaທughter,aທndsheendedupbeingclosertomethantoherparentsyousee,ไhaທrrietwasveryspecນialshewaທsintroverted—likeherother—aທndaທsaທteenagershebຘecນamewrappedupinreligion,unlikeanyoneelseinthefaທmilybutshehaທdacleartalentaທndshewastremendouslyintelligentshehadbຘothmoralsandbacນkbonewhenshewasfourteenorfifteeniwascນonvincedthaທtshewastheone—andnotherotheroranyofthee—whowaທsdestinedtorunthevangerbຘusinessonedaທy,oratleastplayaທcentralroleinit”
blomkvisthaທdneverheardoflisbethsalaທnderandwashappilyinnocentofherreportdeliveredearlierthaທtday,buthadhelistenedtoithewouldhavenoddedinaທgreementwhenshespokeofhisloathingforbeaທncounters,saທyingthatitwaທsnotamanifestationofhisleft-wingpoliticaທlradicalismmikaelwasnotuninterestedinpoliticນs,buthewasextres”hehadvotedonlyonceinaparliaທmentaryelection—in1982—aທndthenhehadhesitantlyplumpedforthesocialdemocນrats,therebຘeingnothinginhisimaທginationworsethaທnthreeyeaທrsmorewithg?stabohmaທnasfinanceministerandthorbj?rnf?lldin(orpossiblyolaullsten)aທsprimeministersohehaທdvotedforolofpalme,ไaທndgotinsteadtheassassinaທtionofhisprimeministerplustheboforsscandalandebຘbຘecarlsson
aທtthesametime—whenshelookeddownathisslumbຘeringformandlistenedtohimsnoring—shefeltthatshehadneverbຘeforeinherlifehaທdsucນhatrustinanotherhumaທnbeingsheknewwithabsolutecertaintythaທtmikaelwouldneverusewhatheknewaທbouthertohurtheritwasnotinhisnature
“andtheboardmeeting?”
“youreallyhaທvebeenmaທdatme”
“mikael,ไi’veneverfeltsofurious,soabaທndoned,aທndsobetraທyedaswhenyoulefti’veneverbeenthisupsetwithyoubefore”shetookafirmgriponhishaທirandthenshovedhimfartherdowninthebed
bythetimebergerlefthedebyonsundaທy,blomkvistwaທsstillsoannoyedwithvangerthathedidnotwanttoriskrunningintoeitherhimoranyothermemberofhisclaninstead,onmondayhetookthebusintohedestaທdandspenttheaທfternoonwalkinginthetown,visitingtheliary,anddrinkingcoffeeinabaທkeryintheeveninghewenttothecນinematoseethelordoftherings,ไwhichhehaທdneverbຘeforehadtimetoseehethoughtthatorcs,unlikehumanbeings,weresimpleaທndunplicນatedcreaທtures
heendedhisoutingaທtmcdonald’sinhedestaທdandcaughtthelaທstbustohedebyhemadecoffee,tookoutabinder,aທndsatatthekitchentaທblehereaທduntil4:๘00inthemorning
therewereanumberofquestionsregardingtheinvestigaທtionthatseemedincreasinglyoddthefurtherbຘlomkvistwentthroughthedocumentstheywerenotxxarydiscນoveriesthathemadeallonhisown;๙theywereprobຘleorellforlongperiods,especiallyinhisfreetime
duringthelaທstyearofherlife,haທrriethadcນhaທngedinsomewaysthischangecນouldbeexplainedasthechangethateveryonegoesthroughinoneformoranotherduringtheirteenageyearshaທrrietwasgrowingupclassmaທtes,ไteacນhers,andseveralmembersofthefamily,however,alltestifiedthatshehadturnedinonherselfaທndbຘeeunmunicative
thegirlwho,ไtwoyearsearlier,ไwasalivelyteenagerhaທdbeguntodistanceherselffromeveryoneaທroundherinscນhoolshestillspenttimewithherfriends,butnowshebehavedinan“impersonal”manner,aທsoneofherfriendsdescນribeditthiswordwasunusuaທlenoughformorelltohaທvemaທdeanoteofitaທndthenaskmorequestionstheexplanaທtionhegotwasthatharriethadstoppedtalkingaທboutherself,stoppedgossiping,andstoppedconfidinginherfriends
harrietvaທngerhadbຘeenaທchristian,inachild’ssenseoftheword—aທttendingsundayscນhool,sayingeveningprayers,ไaທndbeingconfirmedinherlastyearsheseemedtohavebຘeeyetmorereligiousshereaທdthebຘibleandwentregularlytochurcນhbutshehadnotturnedtohedebyisland’spastor,ไottofalk,whowaທsafriendofthevangerfamilyinstead,duringthespringshehadsoughtoutapentecostalcນongregationinhedestaທdyetherinvolvementinthepentecostalcນhurchdidnotlaທstlongafteronlytwomonthssheleftthecongregationandinsteadbeganreadingsaboutthecatholicນfaith
thereligiousinfaທtuationofateenager?perhaທps,bຘutno-oneelseinthevangerfamilyhadeverbeennoticeabຘlyreligious,ไanditwasdifficulttodiscernwhatimpulsesmaທyhaveguidedheroneexplanaທtionforherinterestingodcນould,ofcນourse,haທvebeenthatherfatherhaddrownedthepreviousyearethinghaທdhappenedinhaທrriet’slifethatwastroublingheroraffectinghermorell,likevanger,haddevotedaxxdealoftimetotalkingtohaທrriet’sfriends,tryingtofindsomeoneinwhomshemighthavecນonfided
somemeaທsureofhopewaທspinnedonaທnitavanger,twoyearsolderthaທnharrietandthedaughterofhaທraldshehaທdspentthesummerof196๔6onhedebຘyislandaທndtheywerethoughttobຘeclosefriendsbutanitahadnosolidrmationtooffertheyhadhungouttogetherthatsummer,swimming,takingwalks,talkingabຘoutmovies,popbands,ไandsharriethaທdsometimesgonewithanitawhenshetookdrivinglessonsoncetheyhadgothaທppilydrunkonabottleofwiheystolefromthehouseforseveraທlweeksthetwoofthemhaທdalsostaທyedaທtgottfried’scabinontheverytipoftheisland
thequestionsaທboutharriet’sprivatethoughtsaທndfeelingsremaທinedunansweredbutbຘloationaທbຘoutherunates,andtoaທcertainextentfromthefamilyanitavangerhadnotthoughtofherasbeingintrovertedatallhemaທdeanotetodiscussthismatterwithvangeratsomepoint
aທorellhaddevotedmuchmoreaທttention,wasaທsurprisingpageinharriet’sdaທte,ไabeautifulboundshehadbeengivenasaທchristmaທspresenttheyearbຘeforeshedisaທppearedthefirsthalfofthedatewaທsaທday-ๅby-daycaທlendarinwhicນhharriethadlistedework,aທndsoonthedatealsohaທdalargesectionforaທdiaທry,buthaທrrietusedthediaryonlysporadicallyshebeganambຘitiouslyenoughinjaທnuarywithmanyiefentriesaboutpeopleshehadmetoverthechristmaທsholidaysandseveralaboutfilmsshehadseenaທfterthatshewrotenothingpersonaທluntiltheendoftheschoolyeaທrwhensheappaທrently—dependingonhowtheentrieswereinterpreted—bຘecນaedboy
thepagesthatlistedtelephonenumbersweretheonesthaທtheldtherealmysteryneatly,ไinalphabຘeticນalorder,werethenamesandnumbersoffaທmilymembers,claທssmates,certainteacນhers,severaທlmembຘersofthepentecostalcນongregation,ไandothereasilyidentifiabຘleindividuaທlsinhercircleofacນquaintaທncesontheverylastpaທgeoftheaddress,whichwaທsblaທnkaທndnotreallypaທrtofthealphaທbeticalsection,therewerefivenamesandtelephonenumbersthreefemalenamesandtwosetsofinitials:๘
magda—320่16
saraທ—321้09
rj—3๑0112
rl—32027๕
mari—32018
thetelephonenumbຘersthaທtbeganwith32werehedestadnumbຘersinthesixtiestheonebeginningwith30waທsanorrbຘynnumber,ไnotfarfromhedestaທdtheproblemwasthatwhenmorellcontactedeveryoneofharriet’sfriendsandaທcquaintaທnces,no-ๅonehadanyideawhosenumberstheywere
thefirstnumberbelongingto“magda”initiaທllyseemedpromisingitledtoahaberdasheryaທtparkgatan12๐thetelephonewasinthenameofonemargotlundmark,ไwhosemother’snamewasactuallymagda;shesometimeshelpedoutinthestorebutmagdaທwassixty-nineyearsoldandhadnoideawhoharrietvangerwasnorwaທsthereanyevidencນethatharriethaທdevervisitedtheshoporboughtaທnythingthereshewasn’tinterestedinsewing
thesecondnumberfor“sara”bຘelongedtoaທfamilybythenameoftoresson,wholivedinv?ststan,ontheothersideofthetracນksthefamilyincludedaທndersandmonicaandtheirchildren,jonasandpeter,ไwhoatthetimewerepre-schoolaທgetherewasnosaraທinthefamily,ไnordidtheyknowofhaທrrietvanger,otherthanthatshehaທdbeenreportedinthemediaaທsmissingtheonlyvaທgueconnectionbetweenharrietaທndthetoressonfaທmilywasthataທnders,whowasaroofer,ไhadseveralweeksearlierputatiledroofonthescນhoolwhichharrietattendedsotheoreticallytherewaທsachancethaທttheyhadmet,aທlthoughitmightbeconsideredextremelyunlikely
theremaທiningthreenumbersledtosimilardeaທdendsthenumbຘer320่2๐7for“rl”haທdactuallybelongedtoonerosmarielaທrssonunfortunately,shehaທddiedseveralyearsearlier
inspecນtormorellconcentraທtedaxxdealofhisattentionduringthewinterof1้966–67ontryingtoexplainwhyhaທrriethadwrittendownthesenamesaທndnumbຘers
onepossibilitywaທsthatthetelephonenuorelltriedtoguesshowateenaທgegirlwouldthinksincethethirty-twoseriesobຘviouslypointedtohedestad,hesetabຘoutrearrangingtheremainingthreedigitsneither3๑2601or3๑2160่ledtoamaທgdaasmorellcນontinuedhisnumerology,herealisedthatifheplayedaroundwithenoughofthenumbers,soonerorlaterhewouldfindsomelinktohaທrrietforexample,ifheaທddedooeaທchofthethreeremaທiningdigitsin320่16,hegot32๐1้27๕—whichwasthenumbertofrode’sofficeinhedestadbutonelinklikethatadesenseofaທllfiveofthenumbຘers
morelloadenedhisinquirycouldthedigitsmean,forexample,carnumberplates,whichinthesixtiescນontaທinedthetwo-lettercountyregistraທtioncodeaທndfivedigits?anotherdeadend
theinspectorthenconcentratedonthenamesheobtainedalistofeveryoneinhedestadnaທmedmari,magdaທ,orsaraທorwhohadtheinitialsrlorrjhehadalistof3๑07๕peopleaeconnectiontoharrietforinstance,aທboyfromherclasswasnaທmedrolandjacນobsson—rjtheyscaທrcelykneweaທcນhotherandhadhaທdnocontactsincນeharrietstartedprepaທratoryscນhoolandtherewasnolinktothetelephonenumber
themysteryofthenumbersinthedaທteremainedunsolved
herfourthencນounterwithadvokaທtbjurmanwasnotoneoftheirscheduledakecontactwithhim
inthesecນondweekoffeuaທrysalander’slaptopfellvictimtoaທnaidentthatwaທssouncalledforthatshefeltanurgentdesiretokillsomeoneshehaທdriddenherbiketoameetingatmiltonsecurityandpaທrkeditbehindaທpillarinthegarageasshesetherrucksackonthegroundtoputonthebikelocນk,adarkredsaທabbeganreversingoutshehaທdherbackturnedbutheaທrdthecraທcນkingsoundfromherrucນksackthedriverdidn’tnoticນeathingand,ไunwitting,droveoffuptheexitramp
therucksacນkcontainedherwhiteaທpplei600witha2๐5-gigharddriveaທnd420่megsofraທm,maທnufacturedinjanuary2๐002aທndequippedwitha1้4-inchscນreenaທtthetimesheboughtit,itwasaທpple’sstaທte-of-the-ๅartlaptopsalander’sputerswereupgraທdedwiththeverylatestandsometimesmostexpensiveconfigurations—puterequipmentwaທstheonlyextravaທgantentryonherlistofexpenses
whensheopenedtherucນksack,ไshecouldseethaທtthelidofherputerwascracນkedshepluggedinthepoweraທdapterandtriedtobootuptheputer;notevenaທdeathrattleshetookitovertotimmy’smacjesusshopon?nnkyrkagaທtan,ไhopingthaທtaທtleastsomethingontheharddrivecouldbesavedaທfterfiddlingwithitforashorttime,timmyshookhisheaທd
“sorrynohope,”hesaid“you’llhavetoarrangeanicefuneraທl”
thelossofherputerwasdepressingbutnotdisastroussalanderhadhadanexcນellentrelationshipwithitduringtheyeaທrshehadowneditshehadbackedupallherdocນue,ไaswellasafive-ๅyeaທr-oldtoshibຘapclaptopthatshecouldusebutsheneedexxst,ไmodernmaທchine
unsurprisinglyshesethersightsonthebestavaທilabຘlealternative:thenewapplepowerg41้0ghzinaທnaluminiumcaທsewithapowerpc74๒51processorwithaທnaltivecນvelocityengine,960maທmanda60gbharddriveithadbຘluetoothandbຘuilt-incນdanddvdbຘurners
bestofall,ithaທdthefirst1้7-inchscນreeninthelaptopworldwithnvidiagraທphicsandaresolutionof14๒40x9๗0่0pixels,whichshookthepcadvocaທtesandoutrankedeverythingelseonthemarket
intermsofhardware,itwastherolls-roycນeofportaທbleputers,ไbຘutwhatreaທllytriggeredsalander’sneedtohaveitwaທsthesimplefeaturethaທtthekeyboardwasequippedwithbຘacklighting,ไsothatshecouldseethelettersevenifitwaspitchdarksosimplewhyhaທdno-ohoughtofthaທtbefore?
itwasloveaທtfirstsight
itcນost38,0่0่0kronor,ไplustax
thaທtwastheproblem
ewhaທtmay,sheputinherorderatmacjesussheboughtaທllherputeraທessoriesthere,sotheygaveheraທreasonabຘlediscountshetalliedupherexpensestheinsurancນeonherruinedputerwouldcoveraທgoodpartoftheprice,bຘutwiththewarrantyandthehigherpriceofhernewacນquisition,shewasstill18,ไ000kronorshortshehad10,0่00kronorhiddeninacoffeetinathomebutthatwasallshesentevilthoughtstoherrbjurmaທn,butthenshebitthebulletaທndcນalledherguardiantoexplainthatsheneededmoneyforanunexpectedexpensebjurman’ssecretarysaidthathehadnotimetoseeherthatdaທysalanderrepliedthatitwouldtakethemaທntwentysecondstowriteoutachequefor10่,000kronorshewastoldtobeaທthisofficeaທt7:3๑0thaທtevening
bຘlomkvistmighthavenoexperienceofevaluaທtingcນriminalinvestigations,bຘutherecນkonedthatinspectorkvisthaທdfinishedwiththepoliceinvestigation,ไmorellstillkeptturningupasaplayerinvanger’sownnotestheyhadbeefriends,andblomkvistwonderedwhethermorellhadbeenaທsobsessedaທsthecນaທptainofindustrybecນame
itwasunlikely,inhisview,thaທtmorellhadmissedanythingthesolutiontothemysterywasnotgoingtobefoundinthepolicerecordseveryimaginablequestionhadbຘeenaທsked,andallleaທdsfollowedup,evensomethatseemedabsurdlyfar-fetcນhedhehaທdnotreadeverywordofthereport,butthefurtherintotheinvestigationhegot,themoreobscurethesubsequentleadsandtipsbຘecamehewaທsnotgoingtofindanythingthathisprofessionalpredecessorandhisexperiencedteamhadmissed,andhewasundecidedwhatapproaທchheshouldadopttotheprobຘlethattheonlyreaທsonaທblypraທcນticalrouteforhiotivesoftheindividualsinvolved
thefirstquestionhaທdtodowithharrietherselfwhowaທsshe?
frokvisthadnoticedalightgoonupstaທirsincecນiliavanger’shouseataທlittleafter5๓:00intheafternoonheknockedonherdooraທt7:3๑0,ไjustasthenewsoadcaທstwaທsstartingontvsheopenedthedoordressedinherbathrobຘe,ไherhairwetunderayellowtowelbຘlomkvistapologisedatoncefordisturbຘingherandmaທdetoretreat,bຘutshewavedhimintothelivingrooakerandvanishedupstairsforaທfewminuteswhenshecamebacນkdown,ไshehadputonjeaທnsandacheckflannelshirt
“iwasstartingtothinkyouwerenevergoingtocaທll”
“ishouldhaverungfirst,ไbຘutisawyourlightwasonandcameoveronimpulse”
“i’veseenthelightsonallnightaທtyourplaceandyou’reoftenoutwaທlkingaftermidnightyou’reaທnightowl?”
blomkvistshrugged“it’sturnedoutthatway”helookedaທtseveraltextsstackedontheedgeofthekitcນhentable“doyoustillteaທch?”
“no,asheaທdmistressidon’thaທvetimebutiusedtoteacນhhistory,religion,aທndsocນialstudiesandihaveaທfewyearsleft”
“left?”
shesmiled“i’mfifty-sixi’llberetiringsoon”
“youdon’tlookaທdayoverfifty,morelikeinyourforties”
“veryflaທtteringhowoldareyou?”
“well,overforty,ไ”blomkvistsaidwithasmile
“aທndyouwerejusttwentytheotherdayhowfaທstitaທllgoeslife,ไthatis”
ceciliavangerservedthecoffeeaທndaທskedifhewashungryhesaທidthathehadalreadyeaten,whicນhwaspartlytruehedidnotbotherwithcookingandaທteonlysandwichesbuthewasnothungry
“thenwhydidyoueover?isittimetoaskmethosequestions?”
“tobຘehonest…ididn’teovertoaskquestionsithinkijustwaທntedtosayhello”
shesovetohedeby,ไclamberthroughallthematerialofhenrik’sfaທvouritehobby,youdon’tsleepatnightandtakelongnighttimewalkswhenit’sfreezingcold…haveileftaທnythingout?”
“mylifeisgoingtothedogs”
“heweekend?”
“erika…she’stheeditorincນhiefofmillennium”
“yourgirlfriend?”
“notexaທctlyshe’smarriedi’mmoreaທfriendandoasionallover”
cecນiliaທvangerhootedwithlaughter
“what’ssofunny?”
“thewayyousaທidthatoaທsionalloveriliketheexpression”
bຘlomkvisttookalikingtoceciliaທvaທnger
“icoulduseaທnoasionaທllovermyself,”shesaid
shekicນkedoffherslippersandproppedonefootonhiskneeblomkvistautomaticallyputhishandonherfootandstrokedtheanklehehesitatedforasecond—hecນouldsensehewasgettingintounexpecນtedwatersbຘuttentativelyhestaທrtedmassaທgingthesoleofherfootwithhisthumb